Unfortunately, one of the hallmarks of 2014 was the tension between people and the police across America, especially in Ferguson, Missouri and Staten Island. Police officers shot and killed unarmed black men, causing the cities to erupt in protests and chaos. And then there was the horrific murder of the two officers in Brooklyn, causing much grief and a rift between many policemen and the mayor of New York.
One side of the whole debate is claiming that the police system is “broken,” that these things are happening because of the way the police are trained and go about doing their jobs. Some say they are being ingrained with racial preconceptions that are leading to these horrible incidents. The other side says that the police are just trying their hardest to do their jobs the best they can and sometimes need to make split-second decisions that can turn fatal. I’m just giving a general overview of how I perceive these two arguments; I’m certainly not trying to lump everyone talking about the issue into two narrow groups. The issues at stake are complicated and opinions can be far more complex and nuanced.
It got me thinking about my–and our community’s–relationship with the police. (If you’re thinking that I’m about to reveal my secret felony record, you’re out of luck because, thank God, it doesn’t exist!) While our Jewish community hasn’t had the sorts of incidents I described above, it certainly has a relationship with our towns’ police force that’s more crucial than we think.
I can’t talk much about the police force in my hometown of Fair Lawn, since I haven’t had much to do with them. But that’s probably a good thing, given that Fair Lawn is a very safe town; it means that the police are or have done their jobs well here. I’ve encountered the police more in Teaneck, where my grandparents and uncle live.
My uncle is a volunteer policeman and, occasionally, I’ve seen him patrolling in uniform or talking to other officers on his radio. I have the utmost respect for what he does. He has a whole other, time-consuming job, and a lot of obligations that come with it, yet he takes the time to help the Teaneck Police Department and keep the town secure. Given that I can barely juggle schoolwork and some afterschool clubs, I don’t know how he does it. Even on Shabbos, he’s willing to be at the ready if there’s something going on.
(A quick, funny anecdote: A few years ago, my sister Aliza, a friend of hers, and some NCSY advisors were dropped off in Teaneck near Beth Aaron after coming back from a Shabbaton. It was 11 o’clock at night, and they were waiting for one girl to be picked up. Suddenly a police car pulled up to them and the officer asked why they were on a street corner at 11 o’clock at night. At first my sister was confused and was about to explain, then realized that the officer was my uncle. She started cracking up–and everyone else was confused!)
Moreover, when I go to Teaneck for Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, or Pesach, my family goes to shul at Bnai Yeshurun. The stretch of Jefferson Street where we enter is usually closed off to motorists, and down the road there’s always a police car or two stationed with an officer standing guard. My uncle and grandfather usually go over to say hello, and occasionally I come along. Overall, subconsciously, I do feel better knowing that the shul is being protected. Even though Teaneck is a safe town, it’s nice to have that peace of mind that there are people watching the shul who are trained to deal with any threats should they arise.
I haven’t had as much to do with the New York Police Department–which is currently embroiled in controversy–but it still factors into my life. After all, I do attend school in Manhattan and have gotten comfortable walking around many parts of the city on my own. Would I go everywhere in the city alone? Sadly I wouldn’t. There are still some unsavory parts around Manhattan and the other boroughs. But would I go to school in the city at all if the city didn’t have an effective police force? Would my parents feel comfortable sending me to NYC daily if the police weren’t doing their jobs well enough and the city wasn’t as safe as it is in many parts? Most likely not.
I’m not denying that there are some major issues between the public and the police in many places. But I also think it’s important for us to not demonize the police as a whole, because they do so much for our communities to protect us. We need to see the issues and tackle them without generalizing whole groups. And even if there are some among them whom we disagree with, we need to appreciate those who take the time to keep us and our communities safe.
Oren Oppenheim, age 17, is a junior at Ramaz Upper School in Manhattan and lives in Fair Lawn, New Jersey. He spends his free time writing and reading, and hopes to become a published novelist. You can email him at [email protected] and see his photography at facebook.com/orenphotography.
By Oren Oppenheim
